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About

I have been starting and training horses professionally for 25 years, with a wide range of experience in many disciplines from eventing to western riding to showing young horses in hand. I have started horses for top sport horse breeders, competed extensively, worked with racehorses, driven ponies, taught complete beginners to advanced competition riders, worked for top trainers and spent a life time learning about horses, how they work, and how to make them the best they can be.

Schooling for Performance

Everyone wants their horse to be the best it can be. If we can find a way to make your horse be more ridable, jump in better form, be safer to handle, load more easily or otherwise just be more of a pleasure to be around, ride and compete, this can be as beneficial to your relationship as fixing a far more dramatic problem. Also, undesirable behaviour almost always has a component of risk to it – correct work and behaviour is not only the key to short term satisfaction but to long term soundness and safety.

Sometimes it’s simply a matter of a different schooling approach, sometimes it means identifying and addressing an underlying issue. Don’t accept anything but the best – however you define that – from your horse!

Retraining

My primary area of interest is working with behavioural and training problems, using a ‘holistic’ approach based on what’s best for the individual horse and rider. While I will take horses in for retraining, I prefers to work with horses and handlers in their current situation for ‘real world’, sustainable solutions.

I also do a lot of work with horses with physical issues, both retraining after injury to correct behaviour and way of going, and working with vets and other practitioners help horses excel despite physical limitations. A surprising number of conditions don’t have to be detrimental to the horse having a happy, productive working life. After all, correct ridden work should be “yoga for horses” and schooling can make any horse sounder and more enjoyable over the long term.

Starting Right

Related to this, I also work extensively starting horses to avoid future problems and to address any particular needs. While the vast majority of horses simply want consistent, sympathetic handling there are always individuals who require a more specialised approach.

Rider/Handler Training

Ideally, I prefer to work along side the horse’s regular rider/handler so that work can be seamlessly continued and to avoid any “return to form” in the future. This can take the form of “clinics” – intensive single sessions followed up by long distance support – a short course of intensive training days, or the more traditional lesson format.

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2 Responses to “About”

I have read your website with much interest and would like to ask for your help. There is something that I am not explaining clearly enough to my horse about the two areas of loading and getting out and about…. I live in Hampshire and wondered if you ever come there? on the other hand you might be local (who knows?)!!!